Love has a new name tonight

Athena Lynn Olsen made her grand entrance tonight at 8:00pm.

She weighs 8 lb 2 oz, and is 21 inches long.

Happy? I have no words. :)

Anticipation

NaNoWriMo begins in 3 hours and ten minutes. No title, no name for my main male character, no outline, oh mercy.

Our DIL is at the hospital, they are inducing labor in the wee early hours around oh-dark-hundred. First grandchild!!!

EEEEK!!!

Excited and nervous on all counts. Pictures as soon as I have some!

Unconscious Mutterings, week 404

I'm a slacker. I've horribly neglected my little blog for digital scrapping and other real life endeavors. Let's rectify that today, shall we?

Let's play Unconscious Mutterings! How does it work? It's a fun game of Free Association, and it can be found at Lunaniña's site.

Here are the words this week, and my responses can be found below.

 1. Sarcasm ::
 2. Coke ::
 3. Frank ::
 4. Party ::
 5. Witches ::
 6. Intentional ::
 7. Crisp ::
 8. Lockers ::
 9. Walking ::
10. Fundraiser ::

1. Sarcasm ::  snark
2. Coke :: ice cold
3. Frank ::  Live Journal
4. Party ::  anima;
5. Witches ::  brew
6. Intentional ::  purposeful
7. Crisp ::  leaves
8. Lockers ::  books
9. Walking :: exercize
10. Fundraiser ::  bake sale

Play along with me?

Foto Friday #11

Saving this here just because. :)  My mom, taken ca. 1990.

October 7, 1918 - December 15, 1993

Prettiness!

Welcome to my newly revamped blog! I purchased this kit in August and then life sort of exploded and I haven't really had the time to sit down and give it my undivided attention until today. I love it! I loved the other one too, but it was time for a little change. I'm still tweaking some things, but nothing major.

Still addicted to digital scrapbooking, and just a week ago I purchased the new PhotoShop Elements 9. My poor old PC crashed and we ended up not only having to wipe it, but ultimately had to replace the hard drive. I have to admit, it's wonderful to be rid of a lot of the junk that was taking up room and slowing things down. I knew it was going, so I managed to back up almost all of my files, and most importantly, the family photographs. The only thing I wasn't able to save was my massive library of music. Some of it was iTunes, but a lot of it was from *cough* other sources.

Photos coming up in another post, but a big thanks to Zoe for her layout design!

Wordless Wednesday: Smile

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Six Word Saturday! (9/3/10)

My six words for today:

Marine Son™ will be stateside tomorrow!!!!


Talking to him online right now! He's out of Afghanistan!!!



Want to participate? Click the image below.

Foto Friday #10

The only known existing photo of my paternal grandmother.

Lucille Hodge Bragg
(b. 1893  - d. 1956)

Photo ca. 1942. My best guess, since she is holding a grandchild, Patricia (b. 1942, d. 1988)

Six Word Saturday! (8/7/10)

My six words for today:

Digital scrapping is so much fun!!!


Oh my gosh, I discovered it day before yesterday and have spent hours downloading freebies and looking for more stuff. The entry just before this is the first layout I'm sharing. Go back here and take a look!

Want to participate? Click the image below.

Foto Friday #9, 50th Anniversary

I know it's not Friday, but I started working on this yesterday and then scrapped it all today and started over. (That was a thinly veiled attempt at humor. "scrapped it". Heh.)

This is my best layout so far, I just started doing this a few days ago.

The photo was taken at my paternal great-grandparents' 50th anniversary, September 1911. (click for larger inage)

A dream is a wish your heart makes

In my own little corner,
In my own little chair,
I can be whatever I want to be.
On the wings of my fancy,
I can fly anywhere,
And the world will open its arms to me.






See that? Yes, up there. The little nook and the chair and the laptop and the peace and quiet. I want one of those and even though it's only a dream, I want one anyway.

In my little corner the dishes and the laundry are all done and put away. The house is clean. The dog is being entertained by someone else and I'm alone. Blissfully alone, to write, or to read, and to be undisturbed. The sun sifts in through the dormer window at just the right angle and it's neither too hot or too cool.

It's perfect.

A fabulous contest!

Run, don't walk, to author Therese Walsh's Facebook page. There are almost too many titles to choose from! And please, if you win? Let me know!

A Big, Fat 51-Author (102 Book) "My Sister and Me" Contest - THE OFFICIAL RULES, THE OFFICIAL LIST

Six Word Saturday! (7/31/10)

My six words:

Sitting here all alone. It's bliss.


Want to participate? Click the image below.




Of course, as soon as I typed this my daughter called me to pick her up. *sigh*

Foto Friday #8, Granny

My maternal grandmother

Willie Eva Kesler

11/26/1887 - 4/26/1976

Photo circa 1968

Edited to add: See the vase in the window on the left? Cobalt blue, now on the glass shelf in my family room. :)

Unconscious Mutterings: Week 391

I love free association, don't you? Here are the words for this week, and if you'd like to play along you can grab the code over at Lunaniña's site.


I say ... and you think ... ?

1. Inception ::
2. Anticipation ::
3. Space ::
4. Earn ::
5. .com ::
6. Hello! ::
7. Equivalent ::
8. Swore ::
9. Actions ::
10. Expletive! ::


Mutter long with me!

1. Inception :: origin
2. Anticipation :: ketchup
3. Space :: the final frontier
4. Earn :: salary
5. .com :: Expedia
6. Hello! :: goodbye
7. Equivalent :: measurements
8. Swore :: to tell the truth
9. Actions :: speak louder than words
10. Expletive! :: deleted

Charting a new course

I embarked on a new adventure today! Shocking, I know. Not really all that shocking, as most of you know. I joined a book club. No, it isn't the type of club where you join, get ten free books that you really like and then several dozen more over the next year because you were too lazy to send back the reply form until you finally throw your hands in the air, admit defeat, and then cancel as soon as you are legally allowed to.

I -the self-avowed internet junkie- have joined a book club at my church. It meets once a week for a month, and I had my choice of 11 am or 6:30 pm. Morning? Seriously? Woohoo! Finally, now that I am working again, I can do this. Finally, I am not tied to a 9 to 5 or 10 to 2 work day. As music director, a good portion of my work is all in my head and in my computer as I plan the weekly music and the seasonal programs. There were about a dozen of us for this morning's first introductory session. I already know most of the ladies, but it was wonderful to see some new faces.

We got right down to business and began discussing the background of the author, her motivation, a little about some of the unfamiliar terminology, and where we were coming from in wanting to be there. We have homework for next week, reading the first section of the book. Easy peasy!

If you would like to join in, virtually speaking, we are reading Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert. Once we finish the book, we'll be going as a group to see the movie, starring Julia Roberts. It opens August 13th, right before our last get-together.

I'll let you know how it's going as I read.

Until then, eat - pray - love.

Wordless Wednesday: Having a "Mom Moment" today

My baby graduated from 8th grade last night. Where has the time gone?


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Fandom Friday

I suppose I should write this before I calm down, because then I won't be irritated any longer and probably won't even write this at all.

First off, let me get this out in the open right up front for all to see.

I am a Fangirl. Yes, in all of the horrid ways you are most likely envisioning.

Aside from being a Fangirl, I am almost 56 years old. "So what?" you ask. And if you are indeed asking, then I adore you. Because to me, being a Fangirl makes life fun. It gives me things to enjoy, introduces me to like-minded people, and has brought a wealth of new friends into my life over the years.

Being almost-56 I have seen a number of fandoms come and go. Shall I name them? Why yes I shall, thank you for asking (again).

Elvis, The Beatles, Herman's Hermits, The Monkees, Bobby Sherman, The Partidge Family, David Cassidy (see "The Partridge Family"). Skip ahead a few years to Star Trek. Included in that would be Star Trek: TOS (the Original Series), Star Trek: TNG (the Next Generation), Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, and Star Trek: Voyager. Skip ahead again to Pop Music, specifically, The Backstreet Boys. No they aren't dead, no they didn't break up, yes, they're still recording and doing concert tours. I should know, I just attended two of them last week.

My first concert was to see Sonny and Cher back in 1967 at Hialeah Race Track. In 1968 my mother let me attend the WQAM Pop Festival at Gulfstream Park. (I was in 9th grade.) I got to see Iron Butterfly, Jose Feliciano, Three Dog Night, The Grassroots, The Turtles, and a bunch more whose names escape me. I saw David Cassidy there just a few years ago. He's old now, like me. So are The Monkees, I saw them in 1986 and 1989.

Let's not forget seeing "Hard Day's Night" and "Help" in the movie theaters and wearing out the soundtrack LP's. Herman's Hermits made a movie too, "Hold On". I wore out that LP as well.

Fast forward again quite a few years to my Sci-Fi years when I attended Trek cons (conventions, and no I didn't wear pointy ears) and met up with people I had met (gasp!) on the internet. None of them were axe murderers, I guess I'm just lucky that way. I met, had my picture taken with, and interviewed my crush from Voyager. Seeing him again at a later con, my family (yes, I got my family to go with me) was floored when he greeted me by practically leaping to his feet to hug me over the autograph table. "Wow, he really remembers you!"

Several years later my four year old daughter discovered the Backstreet Boys on their special on the Disney Channel, and I watched it guiltily when it aired again. I listened (guiltily) to their albums and then bought (guiltily) a copy for myself. She moved on to Britney and the Jonas Brothers (the apple is very close to the tree, folks) but I stuck with BSB. Why? Because I enjoy their music. It's singable, it's optimistic, it's romantic, and they aren't half bad to look at, either. I know I'm old enough to be their mother. There's really no need to point that out, is there? Bach was old enough to be a great-great grandfather of mine, but that has never stopped me from enjoying his music.

Who am I hurting by enjoying myself? You? The guy down the street? Have I ever mocked the music or the things that you like? No, I haven't, because my mama taught me better.

Now, all that being said, I have concert photos, who wants to see? ;)

Wordless Wednesday: "The birds begin to sing, the flowers start their blooming ..."

Today:
(click for larger)


Yesterday:
(click for larger)

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Randomossity at its finest

Fasten your seat belts, this might get bouncy. *g*

My thoughts are all over the place today. Still remembering the dream I had last night. It was a mix-tape of my current life as an interim choir director, and my high school life of many (many!) years ago. I was rehearsing the choir for the piece they are doing next Sunday, and all of a sudden I felt the need to show my h.s. chorus teacher what I was doing now. So my entire choir trooped over to the h.s. and proceeded to sing for him while I made sure he saw me conducting. "See? Look what I learned from you!" it seemed to say. It was a lovely reunion, especially when some folks from my old church showed up. I can't recall who was in my choir, but it wasn't the regular members. And I couldn't remember the words or the tune to my h.s. Alma Mater. Now that part is a nightmare. They teased me unmercifully, too.

So. odd.

This past Sunday was so neat! Our women's organization ran both services, from the hymns all the way down to the sermon. Imagine my surprise when I was one of three that was presented with a service recognition pin! Among the accomplishments named was the fact that I'm a "computer whiz".

And then yesterday? Yesterday, I was attempting to copy a database from one site to another, and ended up overwriting the one site with code from the other site. The entire. site.

Computer whiz, that's me. Keep moving folks. Nothing to see here. Literally.

It's all restored now, but I had to do a ton of tweaking. There was no backup. *blush*

Boy howdy, that was special.

But the best news of today was the video clip that Anissa posted. Go look! That woman is kicking butt and taking names.

Wordless Wednesday: Butterfly

Click for larger. :)





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Coming out of the dark

My goodness, it's been a month since I posted here. This has been a spring I really would love to just get past already. It seems like every time I turn around someone else has died, or something has happened. Since Easter we have lost a couple more church friends, and a few weeks ago we lost our only remaining cat. She was 17 and died one month after her mama. Much sadness here, but it's interesting how owning only the monster dog has changed my perspective. I still find it odd to turn off the bedroom light in the evenings, because that's where the kitty lived. But now there's no need for me to leave it on, and I can leave the bedroom door open without fear that the dog will get over-enthusiastic and plow over her.

The litter pans are gone, the small dishes are put away, and I gave the remaining food to a neighbor who feeds a couple of locals. I still have a brand new jug of kitty litter and one day I'll remember to give that away as well.

The Spring Plague™ caught up with me last week so I've been out of it and/or drugged into submission. It has run rampant through the choir, and I probably gave it to a few more people on Sunday, too. Still waiting to hear the final word on the music director position at church. My dear friend who was director resigned right after Easter and I miss him terribly, even though we still call and email. It wasn't a pleasant situation, but I hope that those in the midst of it can learn from this and hopefully grow. With almost 30 years experience in the field, I have applied for the position even after having subbed for him all spring. It's okay, I understand the need to have an open hiring policy. I can be patient. Sorta. *g*

I'm enjoying being back in music leadership again after four years off, but I do miss just being able to sit and sing with the choir. And take a Sunday off once in a while without having to hire a sub. But that's okay, after being out of work since December having an income would be sweet.

* * *

Stopped writing for a few to talk to the daughter-in-law. Baby-to-be is growing and they are working long distance on picking names. How exciting! Baby is shy and won't tell them what he/she is yet, but maybe at the next doctor visit.

Stay well my friends, and stop to smell the roses. :-)

Wordless Wednesday: "There's beauty all around me in every living thing ..."

I just never get tired of seeing them in the trees around our house. When everything else is going wrong, I'm reminded of the miracle of simple beauty.

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ch-ch-ch-changes

Goodness, it's been several weeks since I blogged. I tried to, several times, but it was all threatening to come out weepy and morose so I stopped myself and went to play FarmVille instead.

Things are on the upswing here. Our trip to Savannah was amazing in ways I can't even begin to describe, and I think are better left in my heart instead. ♥ We also made it through not only the Palm Sunday cantata, but our Holy Week Drama, and Easter, as well. Double services on both Palm Sunday and Easter, and four performances of the drama. With a funeral and two ten hour drives sandwiched in. Not too shabby. Of course Krispy Kreme had a lot to do with fueling the church stuff. *g*

Thanks to all of you for the supportive comments, both here, on Face Book, Plurk, and in email, it has meant more than you know. And thanks to all the SitS girls for stopping by!

I crashed hard after it was all over and my brain did just a teeny little meltdown, but I suppose it was to be expected. As therapy I've been planting flowers and re-potting some old scraggly plants that were dying a slow death in my kitchen window. New coleus below, in addition to some begonias, salvia, old Christmas cactuseseses (cacti) and something with a red flower that my daddy used to have around a tree when I was growing up.

In other news? I'm gonna be a first-time grandma in October! My Marine Son™ and his wife are expecting their first! Eek!

Death takes a holiday (Six Word Saturday, 3/27/10)

"Death takes a holiday - after Monday."




And then this was my Twittascope for today. Oh, how so accurate Internetz? I'm thinking there is a Magic 8 Ball somewhere out there, or they have my phones bugged. Hmmm ...

You may feel as if you've been running on autopilot lately. It's not that you aren't aware of what's happening; it's just that you are spontaneously making choices while you are still in motion. However, you might modify your style today because you want to be more conscious of why you are deciding one thing and not another. Logical analysis can be helpful as long as you don't turn it into an obsession that disconnects you from your intuition.


Some of you know already that immediately following the death of our 18 year old cat last Sunday, I got word that my 44 year old nephew had died suddenly from a heart attack. He went to use the restroom at work and never came back.

I received a call from the woman he was renting a place from, she found my number in his cell phone. The irony of it all is that the call came exactly one year to the day from when he called me to tell me he had been released from prison. When he was 20 he was sentenced to life for felony murder for his drunken participation in a stupid robbery gone horribly wrong. His older brother turned state's evidence against him in exchange for a lighter sentence. In spite of expert testimony to the contrary, he was convicted.

He was a little slow, he was easily led, he was a follower. He was a good man in spite of it all. He was my late sister's baby, and his father (my sister's ex) stopped taking his calls from prison. So did the brother who put him there. After she died in 1994, I was all he had left. I sent him money when I could. I sent him towels, underwear, and candy at Christmas, and a Bible the year he asked for one. I wasn't a saint, sometimes I didn't take his calls either and never mind how I feel about that now.

He was paroled one year and four days before I got the call this week, after serving 23 years. He had a job at a metal works company. He had a cell phone and learned to text. He bought a car and paid cash for it from what he had saved while on 6 months of work release. Most of all, he had a surrogate family that had adopted him years earlier. He grew up with one of their boys and they kept in contact with him this whole time. He was renting a place on their property when he died and they are heartbroken. Until this past November, I hadn't seen him since Christmas 1980 just after my first son was born. He was 15 and I have pictures of him holding his new baby cousin. When we went to see our Marine Son™ at Thanksgiving I knew I couldn't pass back through Savannah without trying to see him. I called him and we met for coffee at a Waffle House just off I-95. We spent 45 minutes just chatting and looking at each other and he was bent and broken. Before we got back on the road to home we took pictures, and by then I could begin to see the kid I'd known in his eyes. He was in there and he was going to be okay. It struck me too, how much he looked like and was built like, my father. When we got back in the car I cried for miles and miles.

The last time I heard from him was a text last month: "Hey, Love! It's snowin'!"

Since Tuesday I have been planning a funeral long distance. I have called and waited for calls from medical examiners, funeral technicians, one attorney who won't release his cell phone and wallet to me until we can prove that the brother is nowhere to be found. "Suppose he shows up and sues the job site because we gave his things to you? He's really the direct next of kin." Sure, of course. Legally I get that. But then please explain to me why I should care? He hasn't been heard from since my sister's funeral in October 1994. His dad and mom are both deceased, so that leaves me to pick up the pieces.

After I direct the cantata tomorrow, Palm Sunday (twice, we're doing it at both services), we're hitting the road for Georgia. His service will be Monday afternoon at 3:00 in the church where he had found a spiritual home. After his cremation, I'm going to scatter his ashes over his mama's grave. He talked so many times about wanting to come back to Florida to see where she was buried. I think he'd like that, and I know she would.

Rest in Peace, Tom. You've earned it.

The story of a scrawny little house cat.

Beast, 1991 - 2010

I picked her out of the litter on Halloween when she was four weeks old. She was pretty much the runt of the bunch, and we made plans for my sister to bring her to me when she came down for Thanksgiving. You see, she was born four hours away from here, to my sister's neighbor across the street. We had recently lost Stinker to the traffic on our block and I was (not really, I swear!) looking for a kitty to take his place. I was up there visiting so I called the hubby and I could almost hear his eyes rolling across the miles when he sighed and said "sure, okay."

My sister informed when when she brought her into the house four weeks later that she had yowled for the entire drive. That right there should have been a clue. We named her Little Bit, because she was, but over the next couple of months she became "You %$#@* beast" because she was a biter and a scratcher and quite a nasty little monster.

Except to my husband. She had a soft spot for him, and would curl up in his lap and purr, and later on would sit on his chest in bed and rub her nose against his chin to "give kisses" on command. Then she would walk to my side of the bed and bite me.

Her name was eventually shortened to Beast, or Beastie, and she ruled the roost. She was a bit of a hussy, and when she was just a year old managed to find herself in the family way thanks to a big, long haired black cat down the block. She was so tiny that it was pitiful to watch her drag herself around, great with child. Umm ... kittens. In late January of 1993 we left the house to do music for a funeral, and she was acting oddly. This was all new to me so I really shouldn't have been surprised when she met us at the door a few hours later, saggy-bellied and no longer pregnant. She led us to the kittens which she had decided needed to be born three shelves up in the linen closet. On my Christmas tablecloth.

There were four of them, and in a few weeks we moved them (tablecloth and all) to the home we had just bought. They were adorable and a friend's sister came up and helped us decide who was what. We ended up with Opus, a male, (almost all black like his daddy and the cartoon strip penguin); Tootles, another male, tiger striped and named for the character in "Hook"; Smudge, a female, also long haired black and white with a "smudge" of black on her mostly white face; and Mr. Smee, also named for a character in "Hook". You can see what our favorite movie of the time was. Imagine our surprise when 'he' turned out to be a 'she'. We dropped the "Mr." pretty quickly. Tootles and Opus eventually wandered away, as boys are wont to do, and Smudge went to kitty heaven in June 2005.

That left us with our two old girls, mama and daughter. Neither one had any use for the dog we got a year ago so they have been living in their own private suite since then, aka our bedroom and ensuite bathroom. Beast took to sharing my pillow at night even before we got the dog, and she loved to sleep on my heating pad. So did I, so some nights it was a struggle. She started being nice to me, and I swear it was a form of kitty dementia, or else she just decided that after 18 years it wasn't worth the hassle any more.

In the past several weeks she began a rapid decline, and by Friday night wasn't able to get around much at all. We put it off too long, and the vet was already closed, but decided that we would take her this morning and have her put down if she made it through the weekend. She didn't. Hubby found her late afternoon yesterday, cold and still. I had said my goodbyes several times already, not knowing if the next time I went to check on her whether she would still be with us. The daughter had, too, I found out later.

Saturday night before bed I talked to my sister. It's only unusual in the fact that she died in October of 1994. Anyway, I talked to her as I cried and told her to please take her, and be there when she crossed over. When hubby found her yesterday he told her to wait for him and save him a place in line at the Pearly Gates. I'm sure she will, just as I'm sure she's already given my sister hell for putting her in a box and driving her down here all those years ago.

Eighteen years. That's a darned good life for a cat even if it wasn't nearly enough. I miss her so much and the tears just won't stop. I know they will, but right now? I've lost a family member.

Rest In Peace, Beastie.

Unconscious Mutterings: Week 373

Unconscious Mutterings was just what I needed this afternoon. I always enjoy reading other replies to this, because inevitably there are one or two words that make me slap my forehead because it was something obvious that my poor little brain didn't grasp.  Here are the words for this week, and if you'd like to play along you can grab the code over at Lunaniña's site.

I say ... and you think ... ?

   1. Burrito ::
   2. Spike ::
   3. Tougher ::
   4. Mock ::
   5. Slurp ::
   6. Knock ::
   7. Conference ::
   8. Madness ::
   9. Minds ::
  10. Connection ::


And here's my list of mutterings!

1. Burrito ::  Taco Bell
2. Spike :: vampire
3. Tougher ::  than nails
4. Mock ::  turtle
5. Slurp ::  ee
6. Knock ::  three times
7. Conference ::  call
8. Madness ::  insanity
9. Minds :: over matter
10. Connection ::  internet

Hear me roar!

I found my orchids!

When we bought our house 14 years ago you could actually see the fence line in the big side yard. Sadly, it has grown over with hanging branches and vines and other tropical delicacies such as bugs and the occasional snake. Well, I decided I'm tired of it and I'm not going to take it any more. *insert un-ladylike foot stomp here.* So last week I bought a weed whacker, $30 on sale at the home of Blue Light Specials, and today I bought a small lopper.  I even bought some nifty, pink, girly garden gloves to save my hands.

And then I took out every frustration of the week on the branches, and weeds, and the vines, and--

And then I looked down and found the orchids that used to grow wild beneath the trees. One of them was blooming.

(click for larger)


And this is what I made from it.

Sphere art!



To add to my accomplishments today, I answered a little writing challenge. You can find it here, at Dust Jacket.

Wednesday, but not wordless!

My, oh my, what a wild 24 hours it has been!

First there was talk of my good friend coming down from Toronto for a visit in May or June. Then there was the rumor of our favorite boyband doing a concert a mere four hours away on June 1st, then there was talk of combining her visit with the show and maybe taking in a theme park, too, and it was glorious plotting and planning! And now today there is unconfirmed talk of another show right here in my home town. The day before the other show. *squeal* And yes, these two old ladies are crazy enough to do the local show then drive north the next morning to catch the next show. And then stay over and hit the theme park.

Insanity is awesome! You only live once, and we plan to enjoy every second of it!


Ok, I said 24 hours of news. There's more, you ask? Well of course there is!

Our daughter was accepted into the Performing Arts High School that she auditioned for last month! Her acceptance letter arrived in the mail yesterday, along with another acceptance letter to the Communications Program at yet another school. Combine that with her acceptance into the Bio-Medical/Environmental Studies program at a third school, and you have one proud set of parents. :)

Her heart is really with the performing, so that's where she'll be going. I'm so excited for her! I was singing and playing piano all through high school and I know what it's like to love what you do. She'll be great as long as she accepts that fact that she has a lot to learn. Oy, that's going to be interesting.

Ah well, that's what we pay the teachers for!*




*Don't hurt me, I was a teacher too, lol.

Unconscious Mutterings: Week 372

My mutterings for today are down below. You can get the code for your own blog here at Lunaniña's site.


Here we go!

I say ... and you think ... ?

1. Children ::
2. Saddlebags ::
3. Restraint ::
4. Awake ::
5. Blood ::
6. Shutter ::
7. Posted ::
8. Corn cob ::
9. Flagrant ::
10. Fart ::


And here's my list for this week.

1. Children :: three
2. Saddlebags :: horses
3. Restraint :: holding back
4. Awake :: don't. want.
5. Blood :: guts
6. Shutter :: speed
7. Posted :: no trespassing
8. Corn cob :: pipe
9. Flagrant :: violation
10. Fart :: pew!

Sing, sing a song

In so many ways it seems like yesterday, although it wasn't. My Senior Recital in college was 33 years ago today. I was a Music Education major with an emphasis in voice (you can read about that saga here) and as such, had to present a recital in order to graduate. I have to laugh in looking at the program below. 8:30 pm? Isn't that awfully late to start something? I suppose when I was 22 it wasn't. *g*

Click on the image below to see the inside of the program. I shared the bill with a sister from Sigma Alpha Iota, the women's professional music society. (We were not a sorority, just ask any member. *g*)

Six Word Saturday (3/13/10)

Leading music - both rewarding and exhausting.


Hubby and I led the music for the Southeast District (FL) Methodist Women's annual "Day Apart" today. Good size crowd, and we were graciously received. We have been asked to be music leaders for the weekend retreat in September that encomapasses the entire Florida Conference. As tokens of appreciation, we both received service pins from the District today with a nice certificate.

Foto Friday #7, OORAH!

I'm deviating from the archive photos today in honor of my son. He's our middle child, and he left yesterday morning for an 8-month deployment in Afghanistan with the US Marine Corps. One of these days this, too, will be considered an historical family photograph.

Godspeed, Steven.

Crossroads

I sit here thinking about today's post and I can't help but recall the old song, "Girl, You'll be A Woman Soon." While the lyrics don't at all mesh with what I'm thinking (I'm not a boy pining for a young girl, after all), the title just won't let me be.

Our daughter, our baby, has mere months left before she leaves behind her safe life at the K-8 school she has attended since Kindergarten. She will be in the scary world of High School next fall and while it may not be scary to her, it scares the hell out of her father and me. We won't be two minutes away from the school any longer. There won't be faculty and office staff there who have known her since she was 5 and have always looked out for her. There will be older friends with cars and other temptations, teachers who don't know the girl that we know inside out. There will be pressures that even she can't begin to imagine at this point in her life no matter how worldly-wise she thinks she is.

She is our baby, our surprise child. Let's be honest, after our two boys reached the ages of 15 and 9, and the husband and I were 41, a little girl wasn't at all the retirement we were planning in just a few short years. We have maintained for all of her 13 years now that she is a blessing, a gift, and we mean it wholeheartedly. I can't imagine our lives without her. She's tough. She began life 8 weeks premature, and weighed in at a whopping 3 pounds 7 ounces. They called her "the dancer" in the NICU unit because she never stayed still; they had to swaddle her just so that she could rest and conserve her energy. Her love of dance has always been there and no I won't embarrass her by telling the "table dancing" story from when she was 2, but it was a classic moment in our family story bank.

She has applied for several magnet schools in the area, for their drama programs. She has been rejected for one and we are still waiting to hear from another, but this morning we learned that she has been accepted into a magnet program for Bio-Medical and Environmental Studies. Pre-med. While her father and I blinked in disbelief and laughed, I can't even print what her response was. She applied and attended the open house because it would look good on her records. Even looking over her grades, they still want her. Go figure. And I don't mean that in a negative way at all, I'm just being honest here.

Yes, she can do anything she puts her mind to and I have no doubt she could do this, too, if she sets her mind to it. She is our child, she's brilliant. And talented. And beautiful. And funny. And sensitive. And---

And she's growing up way too soon.

Foto Friday #6

I found this photograph in my files today, and as a result have spent the entire afternoon trying to find my old Family Tree Maker genealogy files. They're here somewhere, put away for safe keeping. *sigh*

Edit: I found my files, was able to install FTM 6.0 and open the family records. I've been adding things from the link down below. 

This is Sarah Alderson Woodson, the mother of Emma Virginia Woodson Gillispie, making her my maternal great-great-grandmother.

Aug. 14, 1822 - July 22, 1898

I found a wonderful link today, to this entire line of my ancestors!
Here is the list for Sarah.

Wordless Wednesday: Planting birdseed

(Yes, I know it's Thursday, shush!)

This is growing underneath our bird feeder in the front yard.

Visit Wordless Wednesday

I'm a Beautiful Blogger!

I have so many thoughts spinning around in this tiny old brain of mine. Our son and his wife just left after a whirlwind visit, the daughter was sick yesterday (food poisoning is no fun, even less so when you're 13), mercy. The mental list goes on and on. So imagine my surprise and utter delight to find that Hannah from The Thought Bubble had shared the Beautiful Blogger Award with me!



I don't blog regularly, I don't have a theme of any kind, I'm terribly random ... So why me? I've no idea, but I'm so grateful. It really lifted my spirits when I was lower than low. Now here's the fun part! As a requirement for accepting the award I am to share seven things about myself that my readers might not know, and then I'm to pass on the award to ten other Beautiful Bloggers! Ten? How can I choose ten???

All righty then, first up - Seven Random Things About Moi

• Although I was trained as a music teacher I was briefly licensed as a hair stylist in the state of Illinois.
• I always wanted to be the lead in a musical production, but was too shy to really put myself out there.
• I can't really believe that I'm 55 years old. Isn't that the new 35?
• I would dearly love to visit the Pacific Northwest. That's on my bucket list. It used to be the rocky coast of Maine, but the hubby took me there for a second honeymoon in 2000.
• Singing lead with our Praise Team at church is the fulfillment of a childhood fantasy. Wait, you didn't want to be Petula Clark when you were 10? Now I have a real microphone and I don't have to be careful of how loud the stereo in my bedroom is.
• My first cat and my daughter share a name. Except that my daughter's name doesn't have "Precious" tacked onto the front.
• Oh my, I do have one other thing but I can't share it yet! *g*

And now for the blogs. I had to take a deep breath, close my eyes, and just choose. There are so many fabulous blogs out there, but these are my ten for this time.

Mind Over Mullis - I want to be Amy when I grow up. Well, at least I'd like to write like Amy when I grow up.
Popping Bubbles - Popping Bubbles is fun, down-to-earth, and I just love reading about her day!
Why Not - Right? - Cylithria is a writer, former Marine, and if you need someone in your corner you couldn't ask for anyone better. Ooh Rah!
Anissa - What can I say about Anissa? She is a miracle. Her husband is doing her blogging for her as she recovers from two massive strokes this past November. Go. Read. Take some tissues with you.
On a Limb With Claudia - "Claudia Hall Christian is a beekeeper who writes novels and serial fiction." After a tag line like that, how can you resist?
I Read Banned Books - I never know what to expect from cajunvegan and that's definitely a plus!
The Robinson's Lily Pad - Froggylady is the wife of a Marine. I'm a Marine Mom™, so it's a perfect fit! She crafts, too, so whee!
Curly Kew - I've known her for almost ten years and she is funny, she is frighteningly honest, and above all, she is real. 'Nuff said.
I'm Sweet Enough - Teresa is a tough (sugar-free) cookie! This is her brand spanking new blog to chronicle her journey as a recently-diagnosed diabetic.
C. Beth Blog New to my reading list, but fun! Check her out!

Now it's your turn! If you choose to accept this award, simply pay it forward. Tell us about yourself and choose ten other bloggers to receive the award.

In the job description

I was all set to sit right here and write out some Monday Musings and then it hit me. Today is Tuesday.

Well shoot, y'all. My days are all mixed up. We've had house guests ("We're not guests, we're family!") since last Thursday and my normal boring routine has been filled with chatting with my son and his wife and keeping our monster dog from squishing their little dog out of sheer enthusiasm. Ours is a 102-pound shepherd mix while theirs is a 14-pound Lhasa Apso. Fun times, you guys!

We have visited family, partied, celebrated his temporary homecoming and other things, visited friends, eaten out, eaten in, picked strawberries, gone to church, driven down to the Florida Keys for lunch, winced when we realized the daughter probably has food poisoning from it (it will be a long time before she eats another chicken wing in a restaurant), and prepared for one last dinner out tonight at the home of my oldest son.

Whew!

It has been a bittersweet whirlwind of not-quite a week. In the two and a half years he has been in the Marine Corps, he has stayed essentially the same good-natured kid I raised, but I find I no longer know what to have on hand for him to eat. And being a polite not-quite-guest, he was no help. "It doesn't matter, don't worry about it."

Hello? I'm a mom. I worry. It's in the job description.

They are leaving tonight to drive back to North Carolina so that he can report back to base on Thursday. Next week he and his unit will deploy to Afghanistan for 8 months.

Hello? I'm a mom. I worry. It's in the job description. (repeat ad infinitum)

I have faith. I trust God and his buddies to keep him safe, I really do. I know that as a sharpshooter with expert ranking he can do a pretty good job of keeping himself safe. But ...

Hello? I'm a mom. I worry. It's in the job description. (repeat ad nauseum)

It's a lifelong task, this job of mine to worry about my kids. I don't always say much about it but it's there, as any other mom will tell you.

I wouldn't change the job description for anything in the world.

Unconscious Mutterings: Week 372

It's time to mutter!!!

I missed this last week, so let's take a gander at this week's list, shall we? My mutterings are down below and you can get the code for your own blog here at Lunaniña's site.

1. Harm ::
2. If ::
3. On my own ::
4. She said ::
5. Illegal ::
6. Broke ::
7. It’s a ::
8. Chatting ::
9. Cottage ::
10. Podcast ::

1. Harm :: no one
2. If :: a picture paints a thousand words
3. On my own :: "Fame"
4. She said :: He said
5. Illegal :: aliens
6. Broke :: penniless
7. It’s a :: guy thing
8. Chatting :: telephone
9. Cottage :: cheese
10. Podcast :: must try

Wordless Wednesday: Pretty boy

I tried to get the female, but she wasn't brave enough to pose for me.




Visit Wordless Wednesday

Being Bodacious, part 3

I'm totally feeling very un-bodacious today, so I thought I should get caught up before Jane posts a new one.:)

What's in a name? That which we call a rose
By any other name would smell as sweet...

•Why were you given your name?

I have to say I honestly don't know. I do know that I was not named for my father's boss' wife. Mother said that emphatically over the years. *laughs*

•What does it mean?

Rebecca: Servant Of God.
Origin: Hebrew

•Has your name influenced you as a person / your personality?

I didn't care much for my name when I was a child. Growing up in the early 1960's, I was teased and called "Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm." Girls today would be hard-pressed to even know what that meant. 'Becky' was perky, and not sophisticated and 'normal' like my friends' names. In grade school I only knew one other 'Becky', and only one more in High School. When I reached college age, I began to use Rebecca on printed music programs; it sounded more professional to me.

•What does your name mean to you?

The meaning given up above is amazing considering that almost all of my professional life has been spent as a church musician and choir director. I have also raised serving on and chairing committees to a new level, but that's another story.


Follow along over at Jane's blog!

Six Word Saturday (2/20/10) / Weekend Wordle

Cleaning house - it's never, ever finished.



Clicky the link up above and you can play along, too! Because it's way more fun than cleaning house for my son and his wife who will be here Thursday. *hides*

---

I just had to add this!

To create your own Wordle, go here. And then download MWSnap to save the image. Piece of cake!

Join in on the Week-End Wordle with Shannon over at Last Shreds of Sanity. Add your link and then take a look at all the others!

Foto Friday #5

 

My grandmother, mother, grandfather, and Fidinkle. *g*
Mama was born in 1918, so that gives you some idea when this photo was taken.

I have a dream, a song to sing

In my career as a musician, I have had many mentors. They have all shaped me in one way or another, whether it be my teaching, conducting, piano playing, or singing. They have been the subject of countless essays over the years when I was asked to "describe someone who had an impact on your life."

The one I never wrote about, though, was the subject of a vivid dream I had last night. It was one of those that leave you disappoionted and even sad when you awaken only to realize that it was in fact, only a dream. You see, I lost touch with this person many years ago. My other mentors have either passed away or moved on and I know where they are, but this one? I don't have a clue and neither do any of the college friends I have reconnected with over at Facebook.

My Big Plan™ for my life was to be a choral conductor. When I was 5, I wanted to be like my church choir director. I even lined my dolls up and directed them, proudly telling my mother who I was pretending to be. Then there was horses, and being a nurse, or a mommy, or being married to Peter Noone of Herman's Hermits. (Or Davy Jones, Bobby Sherman, David Cassidy ... etc.) You get the picture.

Then came Junior High and I rediscovered choral music. That was when my Big Plan™ was firmly cemented. My music teacher convinced my parents I needed a piano and from that day on she became the subject of all of my essays. My high school music teacher encouraged me further and gave me my first voice lessons after school twice a week at no charge.

I went off to college to become a music teacher only to be told (snootily, over the rims of their well-educated reading glasses) that I didn't have nearly enough experience in piano to count it as my major instrument. Let's rewind that a bit, shall we? I was 500 miles away from home, already enrolled and set up in my dorm room. "The voice auditions are down the hall." They sent me on my terrified way and I was accepted as a voice major. Not that I (or they) thought I was that good, but at the age of 17, I was on par with other freshmen voice majors.

I spent the next three quarters trying to "find my vocal placement" and feeling like a failure when I couldn't. Apparently it was the Holy Grail for singers and I just didn't get it. Fast forward to the following summer when I was officially informed that I had flunked out. Who knew you actually had to attend classes? Sheesh, it sure was harder than high school had been. Tail between my legs and embarrassed to the max, I went back home and signed up at the *shudder* Junior College. The one my sister had attended fourteen years prior, and the one my parents had wanted me to attend in the first place. But no, I was a big girl. I was Going Away to College!

I was assigned to Rosemary as a do-over freshman, and she was a breath of fresh air. I was no longer pigeon-holed into singing things just because they suited my voice, or being told "you can't sing that, it's not written for Your Type™." Sounds condemning, yes? It did to me, too.

But Rosemary let me try anything and everything. Too high? So what, let's work on the breathing instead. And on and on it went. For two years I was exposed to a wealth of vocal music the likes of which I would never experience again, at least not in a private studio. We laughed together, she directed the small ensemble I was part of, she even had a hand in introducing me to my husband of almost 35 years.

Last night I dreamed that I found her. She simply showed up to an event that now has no significance. All I know is that I was elated to see her again and she had hardly aged a bit, and I told her so.

I don't know where she is. I have Googled her, I have asked others, but I just don't know. I never thanked her for what she did for me. I was too young to know how important that was for a teacher to hear. As a former teacher myself, now I understand.

Rosemary? Thank you, from the bottom of my heart.

Well phooey!

I missed the Saturday Sharefest at The Secret is in the Sauce. I'll have to make up for it next weekend. Even the writing challenges have gone by the wayside. Whine, whine, may I have some cheese to go with that, please?

Anyhoo. The daughter got a clean bill of health from the doc this morning. The dog bite(s) is(are) healing spectacularly, although she will most likely lose the nail on the affected finger. Eww. Pardon me while I turn green? Thanks.

Tomorrow is our Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper at church in which the husband will be mixing and flapjacking until we run out of batter. Fun times! Then he gets to board a plane for CA the next morning and won't be home until Sunday evening.


Wednesday is choir and weigh-in at the Lord's Losers, Thursday is dog training and Grey's Anatomy. Can I get a w00t?! Flashback episode, peoples. w00t!

Friday ... nothing Friday, but then Saturday morning at O'dark-hundred the child has to be at a different prospective high school for another drama audition.

I need a nap. I'll just be over there in my recliner ...

Unconscious Mutterings, week 368

Can these answers possibly be any more random? If you'd like to play along, visit Luna here to get the coded list. I like to do my answers in notepad before I read anyone else's, it stays fresh that way.

Here we go!

I say ... and you think ... ?

1. Suitcase :: 
2. Exhaust ::
3. Olympics :: 
4. Video :: 
5. Cargo :: 
6. Previously :: 
7. Wild card :: 
8. Artificial :: 
9. Gambling ::
10. Exhibition :: 

Here is my list of replies.

1. Suitcase ::  travel
2. Exhaust :: pipe
3. Olympics ::  skating
4. Video ::  games
5. Cargo ::  plane
6. Previously ::  on Grey's Anatomy (don't judge me, okay? *g*)
7. Wild card ::  poker
8. Artificial ::  flowers
9. Gambling :: addiction
10. Exhibition ::  hall

Feel free to play along in the comments or in your own blog. :)

When the dog bites, when the bee stings ...

I haven't looked at any challenges today. The morning was supposed to be spent at a church women's meeting, playing music and listening to a wonderful guest speaker. I had my Valentine-ish outfit all planned and was rarin' to go.

And then at 8:00 this morning we discovered that the dog was over the back fence in the vacant, but heavily wooded lot behind our house. This is a new talent of his, scaling the fence. In his defense I have to say that it's only a 4-footer, and the place he went over this morning was pretty decrepit.

I mentioned to the hubby that the dog had been outside for a while, and that it was unusual. He agreed and went to look for him, came back in and reached for his jeans. "Houston, we have a problem," were his exact words. I had to laugh when I looked out the back door and saw the pathetic thing looking back at me. "Mom? Help? I'm stuck???"

Hub grabbed the leash and went around the outside of our property, but couldn't coax him through the big, dense trees. I woke up the daughter thinking she could help. In hindsight you realize a lot of things. The first thing I realized was that I should have left her in bed. The second thing was something she realized well after the fact. "I should have hopped the fence myself and just led him to dad."

Instead, when we saw that there was a low spot on the fence we decided to call him and have him jump back over, the same way he got out. It almost worked. He got three out of four feet and legs over and then his right hind foot got caught on the chain link. He yelped like he was dying (and I know it had to hurt, he weighs 102 pounds and he was dangling by one foot) and struggled and she and I instinctively leaped in to help get him loose. He struggled some more, and in the fracas he panicked and turned on my daughter.

He bit her right hand and got her pretty good in several places. In the palm of her hand along the lifeline, the cut is about an inch long. On her middle finger (which she is thrilled to have wrapped up, btw *g*) there is a deep cut on the pad and also the cuticle area. The nail is split, too. That's what hurts the most. There are some smaller tooth marks on her thumb and the back of her hand.

Of course, we washed it immediately and as soon as I could get cleaned up and dressed, I took her right to the doctor. If I had gone to the ER we'd still be sitting there. I suspected he would give her a tetanus booster, but instead he cleaned the wounds and poked and prodded to make sure nothing was broken. We assured the doc that it was our dog and that he's fully vaccinated. I even offered him the vet's number if they needed proof.

Poor kid, she doesn't blame him at all, she knows it wasn't intentional, and he looked so guilty when it was all over with.  So she's on Augmentin for a week, has an antibiotic ointment to apply twice a day, and is at the movies with some friends. I checked in with her a little while ago and she says it's tender, but she's okay.

So. How was your day?

Foto Friday #4

Switching sides of the family, today.

This is my maternal great grandmother.

Emma Virginia Woodson Gillispie
1857-1900

Part 2 in the Being Bodacious series!

Janey sure knows how to get right to the heart of things.

We all want to know what your personal theme song is… and why you chose it. Why it speaks to you and for you. How it makes you feel.

I actually had to think about this one overnight. I'm a musician and I have a million and one favorite songs for all occasions. But in the deepest dark of the night while I was muttering epithets at the dog for waking us up three times in one night, I remembered this one.

I have sung it as a solo, I have sung it for several funerals, and it speaks to my heart; to who we are in this changing thing we call life. We're all along for the ride, and how and where we choose to sit in the boat makes all the difference in where we end up and what shape we're in when we get there.

The River
(Garth Brooks)


You know a dream is like a river
Ever changin' as it flows
And a dreamer's just a vessel
That must follow where it goes
Trying to learn from what's behind you
And never knowing what's in store
Makes each day a constant battle
Just to stay between the shores...and

I will sail my vessel
'Til the river runs dry
Like a bird upon the wind
These waters are my sky
I'll never reach my destination
If I never try
So I will sail my vessel
'Til the river runs dry

Too many times we stand aside
And let the waters slip away
'Til what we put off 'til tomorrow
Has now become today
So don't you sit upon the shoreline
And say you're satisfied
Choose to chance the rapids
And dare to dance the tide...yes

I will sail my vessel
'Til the river runs dry
Like a bird upon the wind
These waters are my sky
I'll never reach my destination
If I never try
So I will sail my vessel
'Til the river runs dry

There's bound to be rough waters
And I know I'll take some falls
But with the good Lord as my captain
I can make it through them all...yes

I will sail my vessel
'Til the river runs dry
Like a bird upon the wind
These waters are my sky
I'll never reach my destination
If I never try
So I will sail my vessel
'Til the river runs dry

Yes, I will sail my vessel
'Til the river runs dry
'Til the river runs dry

Now it's your turn. Tell us what your theme song is and then go to Janey's blog and read all the others. It's a sisterhood here, ladies. And I'll bet even you guys out there can relate to this one.

Monday Meme

I snagged this from Citizen Jane.


1. Are your parents married or divorced?
They had been married 38 years when my dad died in 1978.

2. Are you a vegetarian?
Me? Not on a dare.

3. Do you believe in Heaven?
Totally.

4. Have you ever come close to dying?
Yes. I consider BP of 250/180 pretty close to it.

5. What jewelry do you wear 24/7?
None.

6. Favorite time of day?
Late morning.

7. Do you eat the stems of broccoli?
Sure, but I like the little tree tops better.

8. Do you wear makeup?
Almost always, especially in the grocery store. Otherwise that's the time I'll see a long-lost friend for the first time in twenty years.

9. Ever have plastic surgery?
Nope.

10. What do you wear to bed?
Bunnies. Heh, inside joke.

11. Have you ever done anything illegal?
Not that I know of.

12. Can you roll your tongue?
Yep! Look!

13. Do you tweeze your eyebrows?
Wax on, wax off.

14. What kind of sneakers?
White Keds knock-offs from WalMart.

15. What is your hair color?
Natural Blonde 9, thank you L'Oreal.

16. Do you snore?
Terribly. I even wake myself up sometimes.

17. If you could go anywhere in the world where would it be?
The Pacific Northwest. 

18. Do you sleep with stuffed animals?
Only the eighteen year old cat that shares my pillow and if she licks my hand again at 2:30 am she will be stuffed sooner than later.

19. If you won the lottery, what would you do first?
Set up trust funds for my kids.

20. Gold or silver?
Gold.

But wait, there's more!!!!

My Getupandgo

It's missing. If you find it, please enjoy it?

Oh fine, if you find it send it back to me please.

My Marine Son™ will be home on leave in a few weeks, and the hubby will be home tonight from a business trip and as is par for the course around these parts, the house looks as if a bomb went off.

I'd love to blame it all on the dog, but in all honesty I must confess. I'm a slob. There. I said it. But I liked it better when I was blaming the dog. Seriously though? I'm just not a neatnick. I can always find a dozen better things to do than sweep and pick up stuff that has fallen on the floor and-- oh look, a new game on Facebook!

I've always been this way, and my poor husband (who I swear is related to the Cleaver family at least for the neatness factor he grew up with) just lovingly puts up with me. And he helps, he truly does. And today will be the day he finally decides to actually read my blog, karma being what it is. Hi honey!

I come by it honestly. My mother (may she rest in peace) was fond of saying "If you write your name in the dust, please don't put the date." I'm afraid I took her non-lessons to heart and as scary as it sounds, have in many ways become my mother. How terrifying is that?!

On the other hand (the one without a feather duster in it) I can fry chicken like nobody's business.

Now if you'll excuse me, my virtual crops need harvesting.

Foto Friday #3

This is the home where my great grandparents lived. Built it 1770, it still stands today. The photo was taken by one of my uncles, and my grandmother had this hanging in her apartment when she died in 1976.

The house is just down the road from my grandparents' home where my youngest uncle and his wife still live.


(Click for larger image)



More information on the house itself.

And also here.

I'm Bodacious!

Who knew? Well in all fairness, it seems that Citizen Jane did. She has tossed out a challenge to us ladies, and that challenge is this:

"One thing I love about my body is…"

Tough one, yes? Yes. She will be issuing a challenge each week and you can bet yer bippy I'm going to take part. I just dated myself horribly, didn't I. Oh well, you youngsters who didn't get it are just lacking in your understanding of great classic comedy.

So on to today's challenge.

What do I love about my body? This is difficult because like every other woman I know, I don't like very much about it. My hair is graying beneath all that L'Oreal, my weight is as stuck as an old outhouse door (and yes, I have seen a stuck outhouse door and it wasn't pretty), and my skin is beginning to show 'laugh lines' in more places than I have smiles.

But in spite of all of that, I have great legs. No matter what my weight has done, it has never seemed to extend to my legs. No matter how ballooned I was when I was borderline toxic and great with child, my ankles barely swelled.

I have to admit that I never ever considered any part of me bodacious, because seriously? That's so Beverly Hillbillies and when I think of them I tend to remember that old out house and ...

My legs. That's my answer and I'm stickin' to it.

Now it's your turn. Answer the challenge and then head on over to Jane's and post the link. Go on now, shoo!

Unconscious Mutterings: Week 366

I first learned of these from Claudia at On a limb with Claudia and decided that a rainy day like today was the perfect time to try it on for size.

It's simple word association. I give you a list of words, and you jot down the first thing that pops into your mind. Ready?

Here's the list, feel free to play along in the comments or your own blog.

1. Furniture ::
2. Beauty ::
3. Sip ::
4. Block ::
5. Forehead ::
6. Championship ::
7. Hurl ::
8. Whip ::
9. Destruction ::
10. Leather ::

And here is my list of mutterings.

1. Furniture :: polish
2. Beauty :: beast
3. Sip :: coffee
4. Block :: head
5. Forehead :: desk
6. Championship :: football
7. Hurl :: vomit
8. Whip :: lash
9. Destruction :: Haiti
10. Leather :: boots

Visit Unconscious Mutterings for the code.

Not really the end

Tonight marks the end of 31 days of posting, NaBloPoMo. It has been challenging not only to remember to post every day, but also to find something remotely interesting and creative to write about. It's for that reason alone that I won't be participating this next month.

"What?" you say. "But it's the shortest month of the year!"

And you would be correct, but for me blogging each and every day has been more about quantity than it has quality. I'm not willing to let this blog fall into that trap. I set up "Tales" to have a forum to express myself away from email, or Facebook, or any of a number of other social media sites. I want to be deeper and more thoughtful than any of those other outlets encourage me to be.

Don't get me wrong, I adore those places and most days I practically live there. But when I come here I want more. I don't want to tell you in 140 characters or less that I saw a leaf today. I want to tell you that it floated to the ground right in front of me, wafting through the sunlight and resting on a puddle from last nights' rain shower. I want to describe the exact color of gold, and how there is still just a hint of green along the edges and that maybe it's the only leaf of its kind. Ever.

And see? I'm already well over 140 characters.

So I'm saying goodbye to NaBloPoMo, but not to all of you. I'll see the rest of you in just a few days.

Tossing in the Ring

I type while "Lord of the Rings: Return of the King" plays in the next room. The dog is in another room altogether, the child is at the movies, and the husband has gone to bed. I can hear the final battle for Mordor as is plays out. I can hear Sam encouraging Frodo to toss the ring and end the journey.

Sometimes I feel like I would fit in well in that scenario, you know? Some days it's a struggle to get to the Mordor of the day, and even when you get there you don't always feel like giving up the ring even when you know you have to.

This is certainly more profound than I had planned to be. I need to think about this some more.

Foto Friday #2

Continuing the series, this is a photo of my grandparents. I'm not sure of the date, but it was most likely taken in the 1940's judging from my grandfather's appearance.

 

 Marion (b.1884 - d. 1960) and Willie Eva (b. 1887 - d. 1976 ). 

They were married on November 27, 1907.

Thursday 13: From my PC I can see ...

13 Things I can see from my PC

I know, what's so special about that? It's special to me because that's where I spend too much a great deal of my time these days. My computer sits on a nondescript table, the kind you find in the social hall of a local church. It's plain, in spite of the faux woodgrain finish, but it has lots of room for my stuff. Trust me, I have lots of 'stuff.'

The table is pushed up against the back wall of our spare bedroom/home office that has no bed so it's really not an apropos name. But I digress. Not only is it against the back wall, it's right under a double window. This means that I can shift my eyes any time I wish and see the great outdoors.

So in honor of Thursday Thirteen, here is a list of 13 things I can see from my pc.

1. Trees. Lots and lots of trees. The lot behind us is undeveloped and it is full of towering Australian pines. They have been trying to get rid of them here in south Florida for a while now. They're pretty, and the breeze makes a beautiful whispering sound when it blows, but their trunks are very soft and they tend to snap in half given the slightest wind. So yes. Hurricanes + Australian pines = lots and lots of damage.

2. Red berries. This time of year the Florida holly trees that grow over our fence (from the lot mentioned above) are chock full of berries. so many in fact that the branches bend under the weight, dragging agaisnt the ground.

3. A hot tub. It sounds wonderful, doesn't it? Never mind, it hasn't worked in years but it sounds so lah-dee-dah to say snootily, "We have a hot tub."

4. Frisbees. They belong to the monster dog, but my husband puts them up on the cover of the hot tub when they're finished playing. I don't pay attention to them too much until I see the dog stand up on his hind legs to retrieve one. Then I count down from 10 until he gets inside and starts to harass me to come out and play. Sometimes I make it to 5, but not usually.

5. Birds. My favorite thing of all, especially if it's the cardinals we see on a regular basis. I love my cardinals, they make me think of my daddy. That's another post. ;)

6. Weather. Sounds silly, but the old joke about sticking your hand outside to forecast the weather? It works pretty well for me, except I look out the window. Sunny? Yep. Raining? Yep, there it is. It's old fashioned, but it works.


Not everything I see is outside, of course. There are plenty of treasures inside as well.

7. To my far right, hanging on the peach colored wall, is a framed black and white print of the cast of Star Trek: Voyager, Season One. That's important to Trekkies like me because it was before 7 of 9. Trust me, this is very important. It is also signed by the entire cast and numbered (84/500). I bought it from a dear friend several years ago and it's a treasure.

8. I can see my calendar from The Beaches of Toronto that my soul sister sent me. It's small, but the photos are of places I know well. When I look at it, I remember the wonderful times I've had when I visited her and how very much I want to go back.

9. George. George is my philodendron plant that I bought at our church bazaar two years ago. I've no earthly clue why I named him George, or even why I named him at all. That's not like me. But, he's George and he's thriving. (I take that back. If I sit up really straight I can see Helen out on the patio table, but how Helen got her name is another story; an inside joke from my former work place. *g*)

10. Under the Voyager print is a small roll top desk. It's crammed full of cd's and papers and can't be used as a desk without employing several Hefty bags and a shovel. But we bought it in Los Angeles when my husband was working out there in 2005. It held his laptop and the cable tv bills as they came in, and is a remnant of a life that almost was. This life we have now is better. Trust me.

11. Software. Old things, newer things, the tall bookshelf to my left has a bit of it all. Sims 2 and a bunch of expansion packs; the Star Trek Omnipedia from about ten years ago that I can't bear to toss, and several other vintage titles.

12. Hymnals. My real life as a church musician wouldn't be complete without a collection of hymnals. These happen to be from the Methodist Church and they date back to the early 1900's.

And lastly?

13. You. I can see all of you when I look at the monitor. Maybe not by face, unless it's a profile picture on Facebook or any number of other sites, but in my mind's eye I see you all. My friends. My family. My connection to the great big world that's out there just waiting to be discovered.

I'm grateful for each and every one of you. ♥

Blah blah blah

Only a few more days left in this month, and that will bring the January NaBloPoMo posts to an end. I have decided not to continue it here. When I started this blog, it was for well thought out posts, and the need to post 'something' every day has whittled away at my creativity until it has become more of a chore than an exercise in writing or expressing myself. I'll finish out the month because I hate to quit anything, but after that it will be back to business as usual.

I doubt anyone will be disappointed.

Short and sweet

Spontaneous rebooting.

Several times.

Running virus scan.

Catch you tomorrow!

I love my vet!

We had an appointment for the Monster Dog™ at 4pm. We have to go after school so the daughter can hang onto him in the back seat or I'd never make it there in one piece.

First off, we got the expected reaction when we were dragged walked in. They couldn't believe it was the same dog they saw last spring. "Holy cow!" "Where's the puppy?" "Oh my god!" "Come look at this! Remember the little black shepherd mix?" (to one of the aides in the back.)

Then they asked, "What are you doing here? His shots aren't due until March."

I told them I knew that, but kept getting email notices about his other checkups - worms, etc. so I made the appointment. Plus, I was dying to know how much he weighs now. They convinced me to cancel the appointment so I wouldn't have to pay for an office call when I really didn't need one, and took my name off the email notices. I guess everyone else ignores them, so they were surprised to see me. *g*

They offered to weigh him while we were there as soon as the room was free, and then we got to see the vet.

"Holy cow!" (Here we go again, lol.) She talked to me off the record about his food and a couple of other things while we weighed him, and then also didn't charge me for an office visit.

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

You ready for this? 102 pounds.


She said to go ahead and keep him on the large breed puppy food. He likes it, he's not fat, and it will work until he's 2.

Did I say I love my vet? ♥

Pilgrims, Indians and other folks

I'm sure you all know the story, especially if you were raised in the United States any time before the 1980's. "The Pilgrims lived in England, but they weren't allowed to worship God the way they wanted. So they set out for a new land so that there would be religious freedom for all!" Yes, and then the story goes on to say how they were welcomed and they made peace with the Indians, and how they worked together and the Indians taught them how to hunt and fish and they were so grateful that they shared a big feast that is now known as Thanksgiving.

I was crushed when -as an adult!- I learned that this was pretty much a load of bull hockey. Religious freedom? Sure, as long as you were practicing the same religion as them. Indians? No, they were (and still are) in fact, Native Americans. An indigenous people that was here first, thank you very much. Yes, there was a feast, but it certainly wasn't that first winter, and there certainly wasn't cranberry sauce, stuffing, or maybe even turkey. There was deer and even seal on the menu.

I'll wait while your illusions shatter just like mine did.

...

There. Yes, I'm sorry. It happens to all of us sometimes, having our illusions shattered and having myths we've cherished all our lives blow up in our faces.

It's difficult, it's life-altering, and sometimes it simply is something we refuse to sit by and take idly. We cling to those beliefs like a favorite blanket and when challenged, sometimes we fight back. We fight back with disbelief and angry, hurtful words. Sometimes those words are thought out well in advance and sometimes they spring forth without any warning whatsoever. Both instances have far reaching consequences.

Church is like the story of the Pilgrims and the Indians. It's a happy, loving place where everyone gets along. Right? There is never any discord, or politics, or hurt feelings. Right?

Watch out, good old Mr. Bull Hockey is back. Duck before you get hit with it.

The thing about church is this: the world is made up of a whole bunch of people who neither look alike, dress alike, or even (gasp!) think alike. We're tall, short, in between. We're male, or female, or in between. We're black, white, red, yellow, tan, purple, and sometimes sparkly fuschia. The world at large can be narrowed down into countries, states, cities, and neighborhoods. Those neighborhoods are made up of all of the afore-mentioned crazy weird groups of people.

There's a joke that goes something like this: "They say 1 out of every 3 people is just plain nuts. I know I'm sane and so is my neighbor, so it's not looking real good for you."

We laugh, but it's the truth. I'm just as crazy and biased as the next guy. We all have those biases and preconceived ideas living inside us. Come on people, be honest. Admit it and then learn to deal with it. Your momma raised you better than that.

"If you can't say something nice, then don't say anything at all."

"Live and let live."

"Don't stare, it's not polite."

"One day your face is going to stick like that-"

Momma was right. It's not only our faces that get stuck, it's our attitudes and biases. If you think I'm looking at you when I say this? I'm not. Don't flatter yourself. Sometimes the shoe that is on the other foot is worn by both the 'right' foot and the 'wrong' foot.

There's enough blame and name calling and good old fashioned bull hockey to go around.

So duck before you get hit, and stop spreading it around.

I need to install a meter in my car

Had one of those hurry up and wait days. The daughter was scheduled for an audition for a local performing arts high school, so we had to be downtown before 9:30. Got there, had to wait till the musical theater kids were gone. Signed in then stood in line for a head shot to be taken. Then waited some more until it was time to be grouped for the day.

Once she was assigned to a group I went home. There were theater games (improv, etc) all morning, then a lunch break, and then they would be called to present the monologue they had prepared. They were supposed to be done by 3, but at 3 she hadn't been called yet. It was well after 4 when I finally got her home.

Now we get to wait some more, until next month some time, before we know if she made the callback list.


And now I'm still waiting, because she's at the movies and I will have to go pick her up soon.

Such is my exciting life these days.

Foto Friday #1

I have decided to start something new here in the Sunny South. Each Friday I am going to post a vintage photograph, of which I have many. To start things off, here is a photo of my great-grandparents. Behind them is the C&O Railroad bridge that my mother and her siblings used when they needed to cross the river for church.

Bunyan was born in 1853, and died in 1937. Jennie was born in 1859, and died in 1943. They were married on October 10, 1877.